Alexandra Hooven Appointed Chief Growth Officer, Joining CEO Kate Armstrong-Smith, CTO Joe Couch and Greenberg as Company Moves to Build Story Design and Management Platform for Creative Community

With Early Backing from Lead Investor ALIAVIA Ventures, Othelia‘s Flagship Tool, Storykeeper, Set for Fall Beta Launch

LOS ANGELES, June 11, 2025 — Australia-founded story design and management platform Othelia Technologies has named Emmy Award-winning producer and entrepreneur Scott Greenberg (Bento Box Entertainment) as Executive Chairman and Co-Founder. Greenberg joins the company as both a strategic investor and advisor, and will oversee corporate strategy and industry partnerships as Othelia expands its platform as the foundational layer for story-driven IP management. 

Othelia was founded by Sydney-based Chief Executive Officer Kate Armstrong-Smith and Chief Technology Officer Joe Couch, who identified a need among creators and producers for an intelligent digital framework that bridges creative vision and human storytelling to collaborative agentic tools that develop, refine and scale narratives.

As part of its growth strategy, Othelia has expanded to the U.S. with new Los Angeles headquarters that will be run by Alexandra Hooven, who has joined the company as a Co-Founder and Chief Growth Officer. She will oversee Othelia’s product development and rollout to the creative community in the U.S. and globally.

Othelia’s flagship tool, Storykeeper, will launch in beta this Fall. Accessible to individual content creators and studio teams within film, television, social and gaming, its proprietary semantic model treats narrative text as structured data – bringing key story elements such as plot, characters, themes, timelines and world rules into one secure, interconnected platform. As stories grow in size and complexity, Storykeeper tracks all narrative connections, contradictions and cascading revisions across evolving drafts, enabling users with valuable efficiency, real-time control and clear visibility into the shape and scope of their IP.

All creative data housed on Othelia is fully owned and controlled by the user, with no data ever repurposed to train generative models. Users can apply for early access to Storykeeper’s beta at Othelia.co.

Over the last year, Storykeeper has been in alpha with a number of major studios and global streamers that have acted as collaborative design partners on the tool. Looking ahead, Othelia will grow into a foundational platform with additional tools that will further facilitate the structuring and management of creative data throughout the entire production lifecycle – from early development to distribution and other forms of post-premiere monetization.

“Throughout my career, I’ve seen first-hand how the right systems and technology can transform efficient production without compromising creativity,” said Greenberg. “In Othelia, Kate and Joe have built a powerful platform that complements the human creativity, intelligence and emotion required for storytelling and worldbuilding. Othelia gives creatives and studios the infrastructure to nurture, scale and protect the asset that audiences care about most – stories; and I’m looking forward to working with them and Alex as we introduce Othelia as an invaluable partner to the industry.”

Armstrong-Smith and Couch jointly added, “Everyone wants to create amazing stories, but creative teams still face countless narrative decisions and challenges from idea to distribution, despite increasing digitalisation of production workflows. We’re excited about how Storykeeper can help the industry continue to astound audiences with their vision. With Scott’s sharp business acumen and Alex’s expertise, we’re thrilled about Othelia’s future as technology and entertainment further converge, spurring even more collaboration and creativity.”

“Everyone today is chasing faster creative output – generate a pitch, a scene, a visual. But speed without structure just creates more noise,” said Hooven. “The result is a wave of disparate content, with little staying power. What separates enduring stories isn’t just craft – it’s cohesion, intentionality and the ability to evolve without losing meaning. That’s what we’re building toward with Othelia and Storykeeper.”

Othelia has secured early backing from lead investor ALIAVIA Ventures, a California-based venture capital firm, and a syndicate of angel investors that includes producer Deanne Weir, former Sydney Film Festival Chair and Deputy Chair of Screen Australia, and Clarence Capital Partners, among others.

ABOUT OTHELIA TECHNOLOGIES
Othelia Technologies is a next-gen story design and management platform that assists users in the curation and control of their intellectual property and rights throughout the story creation process – from development, scripts, notes, source materials and storyboards to production. Founded by a team with decades of combined experience in storytelling, production and emerging technology, Othelia is building the creative infrastructure behind the next generation of stories. Its flagship product, Storykeeper, helps creators and producers structure and manage complex narrative worlds – from first draft to multi-title franchise. By treating story as structured data, Othelia and Storykeeper bring clarity, continuity and creative control to even the most ambitious storytelling. The company is based in Los Angeles with offices in Sydney, Australia. More information on Othelia can be found at othelia.co.

About Othelia‘s Co-Founders
Scott Greenberg most recently was Co-Founder and CEO of the Emmy-winning animation studio Bento Box Entertainment, which was acquired by Fox Entertainment in 2019. There, he oversaw all business and operational facets of the company that produces such programs as “Bob’s Burgers” for Fox, Prime Video’s hit musical comedy “Hazbin Hotel,” “Paradise PD” for Netflix and Apple TV’s “Central Park,” among others. Greenberg also co-founded and served as CEO of Blockchain Creative Labs (BCL), which marked Fox Corporation’s entrance into the next-gen space. Moreover, he spearheaded Bento Box’s international expansion by partnering with Melbourne-based Princess Pictures to launch Princess Bento Studio and crafting a multi-year production services agreement with Dublin-based Boulder Media.

Before launching Bento Box in 2009, Greenberg was President and Chief Operating Officer of Film Roman and Executive Vice President of Production at Starz Media. In these roles, he oversaw the day-to-day operations of Film Roman, including its content development, production services, original production, distribution and brand management. He is a member of The Producers Guild of America, The Television Academy and Young Presidents’ Organization. 

Prior to Othelia, Kate Armstrong-Smith was an award-winning creative producer and dramaturg with two decades of experience in cultural strategy and media asset management. Her career spans film, television, theatre and digital media, during which she pioneered new formats of content storytelling working with international institutions, including the Sydney Festival, National Opera de France, Adelaide Arts Festival, TEDxSydney, Sydney Opera House and the ABC. Her audience development programs won the Ruby Award and earned her a Churchill Fellowship from The Winston Churchill Trust, which led her to devise cultural programs with National Theatre of Britain, Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM), Gare des Mines Paris, St. Ann’s Warehouse and LACMA. She holds an MBA in Screen Business from the Australian Film, Television and Radio School (AFTRS), where she developed her thesis on the protection and valuation of cultural IP.

Joe Couch is a trailblazer in narrative complexity, redefining long-form storytelling and innovative storyworld design. He has advised top studios and production companies on their development challenges and collaborated with new media and gaming companies on interactive narratives, presenting his groundbreaking insights at such prestigious venues as the Sydney Opera House. With experience in global management consulting, he has helped blue-chip companies navigate the transition to Digital 2.0. As a virtual reality engineer, Couch developed the calibration algorithm for the world’s largest panoramic VR camera at the time. He began his career as one of the youngest directors at the Sydney Theatre Company and Belvoir St. Theatre, where he brought fresh, personal interpretations to classic plays.

Most recently, Alexandra Hooven served as Director of Product Strategy at BCL, where she worked closely with Greenberg. There, she led the development of Tubi’s Stubios platform and oversaw product strategy for Fox’s Verify Tool, a blockchain protocol for AI usage rights and content authentication. Additionally, she spearheaded partnerships with leading AI content creation technology companies, driving innovation and positioning Fox as an early adopter of transformative technologies. Before that, she was at Rally, the web3 platform that enabled artists to launch their own social tokens and build digital economies, for which Hooven served as the primary liaison for global talent agencies, record labels and cultural entities. Hooven also was the inaugural hire for United Talent Agency’s Culture and Entertainment division, where she spearheaded program development and forged media and talent partnerships with Google, Lyft and LinkedIn.

CONTACT:
Les Eisner
[email protected]
+1 310-779-5605

SOURCE Othelia Technologies

TULSA, stan Oklahoma, 11 czerwca 2025 r. — Spółka T.D. Williamson („TDW”), światowy lider w dziedzinie technologii i usług związanych z infrastrukturą rurociągową, poinformowała dzisiaj o strategicznej inwestycji funduszy zarządzanych przez Apollo (NYSE: APO) („Fundusze Apollo”). SCF Partners, prywatna firma inwestycyjna z siedzibą w Houston, specjalizująca się w inwestycjach w sektorze energetycznym i infrastrukturalnym, która przejęła TDW w czerwcu 2022 r., zachowa większościowy udział w spółce.

Firma TDW jest liderem w branży konserwacji i integralności rurociągów od ponad 100 lat. Przedsiębiorstwo oferuje kompleksowy zestaw rozwiązań w zakresie konserwacji i optymalizacji aktywów, które zwiększają bezpieczeństwo, niezawodność i wydajność przez cały cykl życia infrastruktury rurociągowej. Ten uznany lider technologiczny jest właścicielem ponad 500 zarejestrowanych patentów, w tym innowacyjnych rozwiązań w zakresie zaawansowanej izolacji, zintegrowanego czyszczenia rurociągów, oceny integralności i napraw na miejscu – stosowanych zarówno w infrastrukturze, jak i u odbiorców końcowych usług komunalnych.

Bob McGrew, dyrektor generalny firmy TDW, powiedział: „Spółka TDW dokłada wszelkich starań, aby dostarczać najlepsze w swojej klasie zróżnicowane pod względem technicznym rozwiązania, które zaspokoją zmieniające się potrzeby operatorów infrastruktury rurociągowej o strategicznym znaczeniu. Inwestycja Funduszy Apollo, wraz z naszą dotychczasową współpracą z SCF Partners, stanowi kolejną ważną odsłonę w historii naszej działalności, w ramach której nieustannie inwestujemy w zaspokajanie potrzeb naszych klientów poprzez innowacje i rozszerzanie zasięgu działalności na całym świecie”.

Scott Browning, wspólnik Funduszy Apollo, dodał: „Firma TDW może poszczycić się wieloletnim doświadczeniem w zakresie innowacji i obsługi klientów w całym łańcuchu wartości branży rurociągowej. Z niecierpliwością czekamy na możliwość wsparcia kierownictwa TDW i SCF w przyspieszeniu strategicznych inicjatyw rozwojowych, które przyczynią się do poprawy bezpieczeństwa, niezawodności i skuteczności infrastruktury energetycznej, pomagając zaspokoić światowe zapotrzebowanie na energię”.

„Od ponad wieku TDW zajmuje czołową pozycję w dziedzinie integralności rurociągów i innowacji – skomentowała Deviyani Misra-Godwin, dyrektorka zarządzająca SCF. – Na przestrzeni ostatnich trzech lat byliśmy świadkami imponującego rozwoju spółki, która rozszerzyła portfolio technologii i produktów, pogłębiła relacje z klientami oraz utrzymała pozycję lidera w zakresie bezpieczeństwa i doskonałości operacyjnej. To dla nas zaszczyt, że możemy kontynuować współpracę z światowej klasy zespołem TDW i cieszymy się, że Fundusze Apollo będą pełnić rolę strategicznego partnera w kolejnym rozdziale naszej historii rozwoju”.

Spółki TDW i SCF Partners były reprezentowane przez kancelarię Vinson & Elkins LLP, natomiast Fundusze Apollo korzystały z usług kancelarii Kirkland & Ellis LLP.

T.D. Williamson

T.D. Williamson („TDW”) świadczy usługi dla sektorów gromadzenia, przesyłu i dystrybucji w branży rurociągowej, oferując szeroki wachlarz produktów i usług na całym świecie, w tym zaawansowane rozwiązania w zakresie izolacji, zintegrowanego czyszczenia rurociągów, oceny integralności i napraw. Dzięki zastosowaniom zarówno na lądzie, jak i na morzu oferuje ona szeroki zakres usług w zakresie konserwacji rurociągów i optymalizacji aktywów. Spółka utrzymuje wieloletnie relacje z operatorami rurociągów, które trwają przez cały okres eksploatacji rurociągu. Więcej informacji można znaleźć na stronie www.tdwilliamson.com.

Apollo

Apollo jest dynamicznie rozwijającym się międzynarodowym podmiotem zarządzającym aktywami alternatywnymi. Spółka stara się zapewnić swoim klientom ponadprzeciętną rentowność w każdym punkcie spektrum ryzyka i zysku, od kredytów inwestycyjnych do funduszy typu private equity. Od ponad trzydziestu lat nasze doświadczenie inwestycyjne obejmujące w pełni zintegrowaną platformę przyczynia się do uzyskiwania finansowego zwrotu z inwestycji naszych klientów. Zapewniamy firmom innowacyjne rozwiązania kapitałowe ukierunkowane na wzrost. Za pośrednictwem Athene, firmy oferującej usługi w zakresie planów emerytalnych, specjalizujemy się we wspieraniu naszych klientów w uzyskaniu stabilności finansowej poprzez pakiet oszczędnościowych produktów emerytalnych i działanie w charakterze dostawcy rozwiązań dla klientów instytucjonalnych. Nasze cierpliwe, kreatywne i kompetentne podejście do inwestowania łączy klientów, firmy, w które dokonywane są inwestycje, naszych pracowników i społeczności, na które mamy wpływ, w celu poszerzania możliwości i osiągania pozytywnych rezultatów. Na dzień 31 marca 2025 r. firma Apollo zarządzała aktywami o wartości około 785 mld USD.  Szczegółowe informacje znajdują się na stronie www.apollo.com.

SCF Partners

Założona w 1989 roku firma SCF udostępnia kapitał własny i zapewnia strategiczne wsparcie w zakresie rozwoju, z myślą o budowaniu i rozwijaniu czołowych spółek z branży usług energetycznych, sprzętu i technologii, które prowadzą działalność na całym świecie. SCF zainwestowała w ponad 80 spółek platformowych, dokonała ponad 370 dodatkowych przejęć i doprowadziła do wejścia na giełdę 18 spółek z branży usług energetycznych i produkcji sprzętu. Siedziba firmy znajduje się w Houston w Teksasie, a jej biura są zlokalizowane w Aberdeen i Australii. Więcej informacji można znaleźć na stronie www.scfpartners.com.

KONTAKT: 
Kat Eaton
kierownik wyższego szczebla ds. komunikacji marketingowej T.D. Williamson 
e-mail: [email protected]

Zdjęcia – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2707823/TDW_PipelineTruck_InvestorNews.jpg

Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2583620/TD_Williamson_Logo.jpg

DELRAY BEACH, Fla., June 11, 2025 — CDS International Holdings (CDS) and Greenwall Capital Management (Greenwall) announce the successful closing of a $70 million mortgage loan on Worthing Place, a luxury multifamily community located on Atlantic Avenue, in Delray Beach, Florida. The asset was acquired in an all-cash transaction in November 2023. 

Worthing Place, a 217-unit Class A apartment community, offers residents boutique living directly on Atlantic Avenue just blocks from the beach. The loan, which closed on May 30^th, was provided by Bank of America and marks a significant step forward in the continued optimization of the asset. The new financing will allow ownership to strategically position the property for future growth.

“This financing is a significant step forward in the realization of our long-term vision for Worthing Place,” said Bill Milmoe, President of CDS. “We acquired this asset with the intention of maintaining the best residential community on Atlantic Avenue and this financing improves our ability to do just that.”

Greenwall, which leads the asset management of Worthing Place, played a key role in structuring and negotiating the transaction.

“Securing $70 million in financing for Worthing Place is a testament to the strength of the asset and the performance of our team,” said Jack Henry Kapp, Managing Partner of Greenwall. “We’re grateful to Bank of America for their confidence in the property and our platform.”

Kapp Morrison, long-time legal counsel for CDS, represented the borrower and Holland & Knight represented Bank of America.

About CDS International Holdings
CDS International Holdings (CDS) is a private diversified investment firm, the family office of the late Carl DeSantis. Carl was the founding shareholder of Celsius energy drinks (Nasdaq CELH). Based in South Florida, CDS invests across real estate, private equity, and venture capital with a long-term, entrepreneurial approach. In addition to Celsius, CDS is also a founding shareholder of Tabañero, an award-winning hot sauce manufacturer. (https://www.cdsholdings.com/)

About Greenwall Capital Management
Greenwall Capital Management (Greenwall) is a real estate private equity firm focused on value creation through active asset management and strategic capital deployment in real estate with enduring value. The firm targets and manages investments across multiple product types including multi-family, retail, office, industrial, hospitality, and development throughout various regions in the US with a particular focus on Florida. (https://www.greenwallcap.com/)

Media Contact: [email protected]

SOURCE Greenwall Capital Management

Funding to Accelerate Global Footprint as Coco Scales Toward 10,000 Vehicles by 2026 – the world’s largest autonomous delivery fleet

LOS ANGELES, June 11, 2025 — Coco Robotics, the leading autonomous vehicles company for delivery, today announced $80 million in strategic financing to further advance its AI platform, scale its fleet, and grow enterprise partnerships. The funding includes returning investors Sam and Max Altman, Pelion, Outlander, and SNR, as well as new participation from Offline, DeepWater, and Ryan Graves, formerly Senior Vice President of Global Operations at Uber and now CEO of Saltwater.

This capital accelerates Coco’s momentum as it builds on a proven, reliable model that already works at scale. The company has already completed over 500,000 zero-emission deliveries across major U.S. cities like Los Angeles, Chicago, and Miami, as well as in Helsinki, its first European market. Built around a capital-efficient approach to real-world autonomy, Coco is now expanding to more U.S. markets while continuing to grow its international presence. With thousands of vehicles expected to be deployed by the end of 2025, Coco is on track to operate the largest autonomous vehicle fleet in the world.

“We’ve been very intentional about building technology and a business model based on unit economics that work today – not five years down the road,” said Zach Rash, CEO and Cofounder of Coco Robotics. “We’re now at the forefront of applying AI to solve real, everyday problems in urban logistics, and this funding helps us move faster – from advancing our AI platform to expanding our fleet globally.”

Coco is transforming urban logistics with its AI-driven fleet of autonomous robocouriers, designed to make deliveries more efficient, affordable and reliable while also cutting down on traffic and emissions. With established partnerships across platforms like Uber and DoorDash, Coco offers cost-effective, scalable solutions that reimagine how goods move through cities. As demand grows for more dependable and economically sustainable logistics, Coco is well-positioned to expand enterprise partnerships to meet the evolving needs of urban delivery. 

“During my time scaling global ops at Uber, I saw firsthand how hard it is to build logistics systems that work at scale,” said Ryan Graves, CEO of Saltwater and former SVP of Global Operations at Uber. “What impressed me about Coco is their grounded, capital-efficient approach to real-world autonomy. They’re solving some of our most challenging problems for businesses, consumers, and cities today that will define our culture tomorrow.” 

About Coco Robotics
Coco Robotics is the world’s largest urban robot delivery platform. Founded in 2020, Coco has completed over 500,000 zero-emission deliveries, serving customers in the US and Europe. Coco’s mission is to create a more sustainable, reliable, and affordable last-mile logistics solution in cities around the world. For more information about Coco, visit cocodelivery.com  

SOURCE Coco Robotics

Led by SignalFire, Farsight will use this round of funding to build on its innovative agent technology, powering revolutionary use cases and partnerships across the financial services sector

NEW YORK, June 11, 2025 — Farsight, the pioneering technology company transforming workflows and insights at financial institutions, today announced its Series A fundraise and $16M in capital raised. Working with leading firms across investment banking, private equity, hedge funds, and wealth management, Farsight empowers companies to automate and customize workflows, seamlessly add integrations, and develop bespoke features tailored to their enterprise-specific challenges.

This round was led by SignalFire, with participation from RRE Ventures, Link Ventures and K5 Ventures as well as contributions from many strategic angel investors at firms including Blackstone, Oaktree, Searchlight, Bank of America and more. The funding will be used to continue advancing Farsight’s industry-leading solution and rapidly scale its team, while expanding its network of partners and customers.

Co-founded by MIT graduates Samir Dutta, Noah Faro, and Kunal Tangri, Farsight is reimagining how financial institutions operate—tackling not just inefficiency, but enabling sharper execution and unlocking new business opportunities. Although some estimates show that over 40% of finance tasks could be automated, many junior and mid-level employees continue spending time on manual, repetitive work. This inefficiency delays the creation of valuable insights and prevents teams from focusing on strategic decision-making.

“Finance has been trapped in an endless cycle of inefficient processes that waste billions annually and contribute to high employee turnover,” said Samir Dutta, Co-Founder and CEO of Farsight. “At Farsight, we’re solving a systemic problem—not just by automating tasks like CIM generation and DCF modeling to boost productivity and accuracy, but by empowering teams to execute faster, seize more opportunities, and bring more strategic value to the table. By freeing talent from the drudgery of manual work and surfacing new actionable ideas, we enable firms to operate with greater agility, win more deals, and scale intelligently.”

Farsight’s technology stands apart due to its ability to execute complex workflows directly within the existing behavior patterns of users. The outcomes speak for themselves: in 2024, Farsight experienced record growth, with revenue increasing tenfold and the customer roster expanding 5x.

“As recovering investment bankers ourselves, we immediately saw the power of Farsight to save countless all-nighters,” said Wayne Hu, Partner at SignalFire. “Samir, Noah, and Kunal combine a unique blend of AI, security and trust, and deep user empathy themselves to build the end to end workflow, datasets, and controls needed to actually bridge the last mile problem for analysts across the finance sector and generate the self-reinforcing feedback loops to continually improve.”

Media Contact:
Steve Hirsch
Hirsch Leatherwood
[email protected]
914-844-4978

About Farsight
Farsight is on a mission to revolutionize financial workflows and help firms better compete by providing the industry’s first AI-powered strategic and automation platform that works directly within users’ existing behavior patterns. Farsight serves leading institutions across the investment banking, private equity, hedge fund, and wealth management fields.

Farsight is based in New York City. For more information, visit https://farsight-ai.com/.

About SignalFire
SignalFire is the first VC firm built like a technology company to better serve the needs of founders as they build and scale their startups. With approximately $3B in assets under management, SignalFire invests in applied AI companies from pre-seed to Series B in key sectors, including healthcare, cybersecurity, infrastructure, consumer, and other enterprise verticals. Learn more at www.signalfire.com.

SOURCE Farsight

“Power Forward” connects high-growth startups in $847B sports, entertainment and real estate tech markets with active investors

LOS ANGELES, June 11, 2025 — Equity Angels — an entrepreneurial support organization dedicated to fostering fair access to opportunity — announced Power Forward, a tech investment summit launched in partnership with Twenty Five Ventures and Distinct Concierge. This inaugural event brings together high-potential startups and active investors in the rapidly expanding sports, entertainment and real estate technology markets.

Stacy Spikes, founder of MoviePass and bestselling author of “Black Founder: The Hidden Power of Being an Outsider,” will headline the July 14 event at the Fairmont Century Plaza. The summit features a $100,000 funding competition where selected startups compete for a Special Purpose Vehicle funded by Twenty Five Ventures and other participating investors.

The event addresses a significant market opportunity: while sports tech, entertainment tech, and proptech represent an $847 billion combined market, less than 2% of venture funding reaches founders from underrepresented backgrounds in these high-growth categories.

“The numbers are clear — these markets hold massive untapped potential. Power Forward gives us direct access to founders building the next wave of companies in areas where we’re already investing,” stated Maximillian Diez, General Partner at Twenty Five Ventures.

Unlike traditional networking events, Power Forward operates as an interactive investment summit. Startup applicants undergo a rigorous selection process and pitch directly to a curated group of active investors and strategic partners. Companies already confirmed include PairGap, Reeku, Convierge, Chambr, Goby Homes, ARKI, Free Agent, Sengo, Rely, Kahlab, Breadcrumb and Wauvea.

Participating companies represent three key categories:

• Sports Technology: Analytics platforms, fan engagement tools and athlete performance systems
• Entertainment Technology: Content creation platforms, distribution networks and audience monetization tools
• Real Estate Technology: Accessibility solutions, financing platforms, enhanced user experience and property management innovations

“This isn’t about checking boxes. It’s about identifying the best investment opportunities in high growth markets. Through Power Forward, we’re creating a vital ecosystem where incredible innovation from founders who traditionally haven’t had access to capital are seen,” remarked Katherine Winston and Kenya Burrell-VanWormer, Co-Founders and Managing Partners of Equity Angels, in a joint statement.

Beyond Spikes’ keynote on building resilient companies in competitive markets, the summit features industry leaders including:

• Patrick Lee, Co-Founder of Rotten Tomatoes and Fanverse
• Thai Randolph, Co-Founder of HARTBEAT and Interim CEO of Rock the Bells
• Craig D’Cruze, COO of Inverted Ventures
• Simon Chen, CEO of Arrival Home Loans
• c. Craig Patterson, Award-Winning Filmmaker
• Ted Schilowitz, Technology Futurist

Panel discussions will cover the $84 trillion wealth transfer reshaping investment patterns, the impact of AI on content creation and monetization, new approaches to homeownership accessibility and emerging opportunities in women’s sports.

Event Details

What: Power Forward Summit
When: July 14, 2025
Where: Fairmont Century Plaza, Los Angeles
Format: Investor roundtables, main stage presentations, $100K funding competition

The summit is invitation-only for investors and startups. Ecosystem partners may register at www.equity-angels.com/power-forward.

SOURCE Equity Angels

PITTSBURGH, June 11, 2025 — Highmark Health has been awarded a $1.75 million grant from the Henry L. Hillman Foundation to help older adults in western Pennsylvania confidently use technology to manage their health and improve their overall well-being. The two-year initiative, called “SUPPORT for Seniors”, will address the unique challenges seniors face when using health-related technology.

While technology offers convenience and bridges gaps between doctor visits, ongoing personal interaction and support are vital to establish familiarity, confidence, and trust in the use of health technology.

“Health care is rapidly transforming, with technology playing a central role in enhancing patient care and outcomes,” said Anil Singh, MD, MPH, MMM, senior vice president, executive medical director, population and curated health, Highmark Health. “With the investment from the Henry L. Hillman Foundation, the SUPPORT for Seniors project will help us better understand and reconcile the digital gap and empower older adults to actively manage their health through accessible technology.”

During the two-year program, Highmark Health plans to support 150-200 Highmark members aged 65 and older in western Pennsylvania. The program will focus on individuals receiving in-home health support while managing chronic conditions such as hypertension, atrial fibrillation, congestive heart failure (CHF), or a behavioral health condition.

“Identifying patients at the right time and enabling them to stay engaged in essential health programs is fundamental in shifting more care to the home and outside of institutional settings,” said Mona Siddiqui, MD, senior vice president for home and community services at Highmark Health. “Through this funding, Highmark Health will study how to best design a support system to boost seniors’ self-assurance, enabling them to manage their health while remaining in the home.”

Highmark Health will use predictive analytics, through its post-acute network management company, Helion, to develop an algorithm that identifies older adults who would benefit most from using technology to manage their health and match them with tailored solutions.

To provide hands-on support, the organization will equip community health workers (CHWs) with specialized training to offer personalized technical assistance, enabling older adults to effectively leverage health technology. This dedicated support will complement the care provided by home health nurses, allowing them to focus on other aspects of care.

The program’s success will be measured by tracking seniors’ adoption and engagement with technology, the effectiveness of CHW support, and the impact on patient health, including reductions in hospitalizations and improvements in chronic condition management. A continuous feedback loop, informed by data-driven evaluation, will ensure the support system remains adaptable, relevant, and cost-effective in improving health engagement and outcomes while reducing health care utilization for participants.

Support for the initiative is part of the Henry L. Hillman Foundation’s Aging Well strategic priority, which aims to help the region prepare for a smaller and older population and promote healthy aging among its residents. 

This initiative builds on Highmark Health’s pilot program, also funded by a $250,000 grant from the Henry L. Hillman Foundation, which explored technology barriers for Allegheny County seniors with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Highmark Health is uniquely positioned to lead the development of this improved technology support system, leveraging insights from its pilot study.

About Highmark Health

Highmark Health, a Pittsburgh, PA-based enterprise that employs more than 44,000 people who serve millions of Americans across the country, is the parent company of Highmark Inc., Allegheny Health Network, and enGen. Highmark Inc. and its subsidiaries and affiliates provide health insurance to more than 7 million members in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Delaware, and New York, as well as dental insurance, and related health products through a national network of diversified businesses. Allegheny Health Network is an integrated delivery network in western Pennsylvania comprised of 14 hospitals, more than 2,500 affiliated physicians, ambulatory surgery centers, an employed physician organization, home and community-based health services, a research institute, a group purchasing organization, and health and wellness pavilions. enGen is a wholly owned subsidiary of Highmark Health whose dynamic ecosystem of smart automation and technology supports and streamlines complex operations for health plans and their provider partners. To learn more, visit www.highmarkhealth.org. 

About Henry L. Hillman Foundation

Henry L. Hillman Foundation works to ensure that Pittsburgh’s considerable strengths, assets, and advantages are fully leveraged to make it one of the world’s most innovative and forward-looking cities, building on the late Henry L. Hillman’s legacy for solving big problems through civic leadership and collaboration. Henrylhillmanfoundation.org

*Please note the full name of Henry L. Hillman Foundation should be used and not shortened to “Hillman Foundation,” which is a similarly named but separate entity.

PR Contact:

Catherine Clements, Highmark Health

724-757-2800

[email protected]

SOURCE Highmark Health

Following successful validation, the AI-driven bioactive discovery company announces $3.6 mm round to scale next-gen food-as-medicine metabolic health solutions

TEL AVIV, Israel, June 11, 2025 — Lembas (www.hellolembas.com), an AI-powered bioactive peptide discovery company, has emerged from stealth mode with a scientific breakthrough in activating GLP-1 – the key hormone that helps regulate appetite and metabolism. The company closed an oversubscribed pre-seed funding round of $3.6 mm led by FLORA Ventures, who also incubated the company, with participation from a group of leading venture capital funds Bluestein Ventures, Fresh Fund, Longevity Venture Partners, Maia Ventures, Siddhi Capital, Mandi Ventures and SDH.

Nearly 75% of US adults are overweight or obese*, but the new GLP-1 pharmaceuticals are out of reach for many due to lack of accessibility, prohibitive costs, and severe side effects. This creates an urgent opportunity for the food and supplements industries to provide evidence-based solutions that help consumers manage their weight more naturally and effectively.

Lembas is pioneering the next generation of science-backed bioactive ingredients for the functional food and supplements industry, with its first solution, GLP-1 Edge, targeting the $560B** global weight management industry. GLP-1 Edge is designed to naturally regulate appetite by enhancing the body’s own GLP-1 response. It integrates easily into bars, shakes, snacks, beverages and supplements, bringing metabolic health into consumers’ everyday routines.

The company’s proprietary computational AI discovery platform rapidly screens, analyzes and designs food-grade bioactive peptides that work with the natural metabolic mechanisms. In less than a year, Lembas discovered and designed food-grade bioactives that demonstrated positive cell and animal model results, stimulating successfully GLP-1 secretion to blood.

While Lembas’ initial focus is on natural GLP-1 for weight management and metabolic health, its computational platform has been developed to accelerate the discovery of new science-backed functional ingredients across a broader pipeline of health and wellbeing benefits.

Founded in 2024, Lembas is backed by a licensed university patent pending technology and led by an accomplished team of serial entrepreneurs and interdisciplinary scientists: Shay Hilel (CEO), Dr. Zohar Barbash (CTO), Prof. Maayan Gal (CSO) and Dr. Daniel Bar. Its executive team and board consist of seasoned senior executives from PepsiCo, Mondelez, IFF, Shiru and Brightseed, including Rob Hargrove, former Chief R&D Officer at Mondelez.

“At Lembas, we’re creating a new category of science-backed nutrition, empowering consumers for the first time to effectively and conveniently manage their weight through companion food and supplements without pricy prescriptions, injections, and unpleasant side effects,” said Shay Hilel, Co-Founder and CEO of Lembas. “Our early validation and the strong interest from global food and supplement companies shows there is a massive unmet need for our GLP-1 Edge solution, that works naturally with the body, not against it.”

Gil Horsky, Founding Chairman of Lembas and Managing Partner FLORA Ventures: “As a longtime food industry executive and investor in the space, I believe the discovery of GLP-1 is the biggest disruptor the food industry has faced in decades. Lembas is the first science-backed company enabling food players to seize this disruptive opportunity by setting a new bar for food-as-medicine.” Horsky added: “We’re combining deep-tech with cutting edge science to unlock a scalable, credible path to make functional food actually functional.”

With this funding, Lembas will accelerate scale-up and commercialization of its GLP-1 Edge bioactive, expand its AI discovery platform, and deepen commercial agreements across the ingredients, food and supplements value chain.

About Lembas

Lembas is an AI-powered discovery company pioneering the next generation of science-backed bioactives for the functional food and supplements industry, with its first solution, GLP-1 Edge, targeting the $560B global weight management industry. Backed by university-patented research and a proprietary AI computational platform, Lembas is building a scalable pipeline of food-grade bioactive ingredients that unlock the potential of food as medicine. For more information, please visit www.hellolembas.com, LinkedIn.

Sources

*Agrawal, N. Three-Quarters of U.S. Adults Are Now Overweight or Obese. The New York Times. November 14, 2024. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/14/well/obesity-epidemic-america.htm.
**IMARC Group https://www.imarcgroup.com/weight-management-market?.

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2707304/Lembas_1.jpg
Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2707293/Lembas_2.jpg

For media inquiries, partnership opportunities and more information: 
[email protected]

SOURCE Lembas

• Financing co-led by new investors EQT Life Sciences and Sanofi Ventures, with participation from Roche Venture Fund, as well as all existing investors
• Proceeds will support clinical development of lead program SB-007 in Stargardt disease
• Funding will also advance a broader pipeline of genetic medicines targeting indications in ophthalmology, neurology, and other undisclosed therapeutic areas

BARCELONA, Spain, June 11, 2025 — SpliceBio, a clinical-stage genetic medicines company pioneering Protein Splicing to address diseases caused by mutations in large genes, today announced the close of a $135 million Series B financing co-led by new investors EQT Life Sciences and Sanofi Ventures, with participation from Roche Venture Fund, as well as all existing investors: New Enterprise Associates, UCB Ventures, Ysios Capital, Gilde Healthcare, Novartis Venture Fund, and Asabys Partners.

The funding will be used to advance the clinical development of SpliceBio’s lead gene therapy candidate, SB-007 for Stargardt disease, including the ongoing interventional Phase 1/2 ASTRA study and the observational POLARIS study. SB-007 is the first dual adeno-associated viral (AAV) gene therapy cleared by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to enter clinical development for Stargardt disease. SB-007 has also received regulatory clearance for clinical development from the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).

Stargardt disease is an inherited retinal disorder caused by mutations in the ABCA4 gene that leads to progressive vision loss and blindness, with no approved treatments available. SB-007 is designed to address the underlying genetic cause of the disease by producing a functional copy of the full-length ABCA4 protein with the potential to treat all patients, regardless of their specific ABCA4 mutation. The proceeds will also be used to accelerate SpliceBio’s pipeline of AAV gene therapy programs in ophthalmology, neurology, and other undisclosed indications that utilise the company’s proprietary Protein Splicing platform.

“This financing marks a pivotal milestone for SpliceBio as we advance the clinical development of SB-007 for Stargardt disease and continue to expand our pipeline across ophthalmology, neurology and beyond,” said Miquel Vila-Perelló, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of SpliceBio. “The support from such high-quality investors underscores the strength of our programs and our unique Protein Splicing platform and its potential to unlock gene therapies for diseases that remain untreatable today. We are building a company positioned to lead the next wave of genetic medicines.”

SpliceBio is redefining and expanding the scope of diseases that can be tackled with gene therapies by addressing a fundamental limitation of AAV vectors in their inability to deliver genes that exceed their limited packaging capacity of 4.7 kilobases. Many genetic disorders remain untreatable because the necessary gene is too large to fit into the AAV vectors. SpliceBio’s unique Protein Splicing platform leverages the use of a family of proprietary, engineered proteins called inteins, originally developed at Princeton University. The company’s technology enables the splitting of the gene into two (or more) transgenes that are then delivered using dual AAV vectors. Once inside the cell, the DNA of each transgene is transcribed into messenger RNA and translated into protein. SpliceBio’s engineered inteins are designed to then assemble the full-length protein that is needed to treat the disease.

Daniela Begolo, Managing Director at EQT Life Sciences, commented: “We are proud to support SpliceBio, a pioneer among the next-generation of genetic medicine companies. Its Protein Splicing platform is designed to offer a novel solution to deliver large genes with AAV, one of the field’s most pressing challenges, and exemplifies our commitment to backing transformational science that can meaningfully benefit patients’ lives.”

Laia Crespo, Partner at Sanofi Ventures, remarked: “With compelling data for its lead program, SB-007, and a highly differentiated platform, we are excited to support SpliceBio as it tackles a fundamental challenge for genetic medicines. By enabling the delivery of large and complex genes through its novel AAV vector Protein Splicing technology, SpliceBio has the potential to make a significant impact on the field of gene therapy and to deliver best-in-class therapies to patients.”

Carole Nuechterlein, Head of Roche Venture Fund, added: “We are impressed by the team’s strong execution, the momentum behind SB-007 in Stargardt disease, and the platform’s potential to unlock a new class of genetic medicines. We are proud to support SpliceBio at this pivotal stage of growth as they advance their lead program through clinical development and explore additional high-impact indications.”

In connection with the financing, Daniela Begolo, Managing Director at EQT Life Sciences, Laia Crespo, Partner at Sanofi Ventures, and Carole Nuechterlein, Head of Roche Venture Fund, will join the SpliceBio Board of Directors.

About SpliceBio
SpliceBio is a clinical-stage genetic medicines company pioneering Protein Splicing to address diseases caused by mutations in large genes. The Company’s lead program, SB-007, targets the root cause of Stargardt disease, a genetic eye disease that causes blindness in children and adults. SpliceBio’s pipeline comprises additional gene therapy programs across therapeutic areas, including ophthalmology and neurology. SpliceBio’s platform is based on technology developed in the Muir Lab at Princeton University after more than 20 years of pioneering intein, Protein Splicing, and protein engineering research. For additional information, please visit www.splice.bio. 

About SB-007
SB-007 is an investigational Protein Splicing dual AAV gene therapy in development for the treatment of Stargardt disease. It is designed to restore expression of the native full-length ABCA4 protein in the retina. SB-007 has been granted Orphan Drug Designation from both the FDA in the US and the European Commission in Europe. In December 2024, SB-007 received FDA IND clearance, marking the first-ever clearance for a dual AAV gene therapy in Stargardt disease. Alongside initiation of the Phase 1/2 ASTRA study, with the announcement of the first patient dosed in March 2025, SpliceBio continues to advance POLARIS, a natural history study of the disease. Both studies are actively recruiting. For more information or to enquire about participation in the studies, please visit https://splice.bio/clinical/.

About EQT Life Sciences 
EQT Life Sciences was formed in 2022 following an integration of LSP, a leading European life sciences and healthcare venture capital firm, into the EQT platform. As LSP, the firm raised over EUR 3.0 billion (USD 3.5 billion) and supported the growth of more than 150 companies since it started to invest over 30 years ago. With a dedicated team of highly experienced investment professionals, coming from backgrounds in medicine, science, business, and finance, EQT Life Sciences backs the smartest inventors who have ideas that could truly make a difference for patients. More info: www.eqtgroup.com. Follow EQT on LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram.

About Sanofi Ventures
Sanofi Ventures is the corporate venture capital arm of Sanofi, focused on investing in promising early-stage healthcare companies. The firm supports pioneering innovations in biotechnology, digital health, and life sciences aligning with Sanofi’s mission to bring life-changing treatments to patients worldwide. For more information visit: www.sanofiventures.com

About Roche Venture Fund
The Roche Venture Fund is the corporate venture fund of Roche and invests in innovative life science companies. Over the past 20 years, the Roche Venture Fund has invested in over 60 companies globally and currently has a portfolio of around 30 companies located in 10 countries. As part of a multinational healthcare company, the Roche Venture Fund has access to considerable expertise both internally and externally and co-invests with leading venture funds, including other corporate venture funds, on a regular basis.
https://www.roche.com/venturefund 

SOURCE SpliceBio